As you know, we recently announced our millionth sponsored child. Now, I won’t tell you a lot of random facts about 1 million.

Like how long it would take you to count to 1 million (14 days).

Or how much 1 million dollar bills weigh (2,204 pounds).

Because as important as 1 million is, and as huge of a milestone as 1 million sponsored children is, it’s really just about one child.

And a few weeks ago, I got to meet that one child — Fellow Blewussi Kpodo. He lives in a dusty community just outside of Lomé, Togo.

Fellow’s whole family had come out for our meeting. His father stood proudly, his arm on the shoulder of his oldest son. Fellow’s two older sisters darted in and out of the house, covering their faces and giggling at the sight of my pale skin. His younger brother made himself at home in my lap.

All the while, Fellow watched the commotion with his solemn brown eyes.

I stared at his eyes when he wasn’t looking. Fringed with dark eyelashes, I wondered at what they had seen.

They had watched his father battered by grief when Fellow’s mother died five years ago.

They had filled with tears when the headmaster sent him home from school because he didn’t have his school fees — again.

They had stung with smoke as he bent over the small fire he prepared every evening for his sisters to cook cassava and dried fish for dinner.

And now, those same eyes sought out mine.

“He has a question for you,” explained the interpreter. I nodded. “He wants to know if you know his sponsor.”

I grinned at Fellow, and for the first time a smile reached his eyes.

“I don’t know her,” I explained. “But I know that you are very special to her.”

And in that moment, everything else faded away. Fellow wasn’t one of a million children. He was just one.

One child.

One sponsor.

One more step toward changing the world.

“The child must know that he is a miracle, that since the beginning of the world there hasn’t been, and until the end of the world there will not be, another child like him.” – Pablo Casals

I love this, Brandy, because it is so very true. I’ve wondered what Fellows thinks about being in the limelight, just because he raised the number of sponsored children by one. Somehow, I doubt that is very important to him, as incredible a milestone as it is for Compassion. What matters for him, I’m betting, is that he has a sponsor and that he and his family are receiving help that they need.

I’ve also wondered how many children have been sponsored since Fellows’ sponsorship rang the bell. The number isn’t important, but those children, and the 999,000 children before Fellows, sure are!

I wish that every child grew up feeling that he/she was special. There would be less dysfunctional adults in the world. And everyone would grow up with the knowledge that they have something positive to contribute to the world. I’m happy that Fellow has been given the chance to know that he really does matter to someone. I like the quote by Pablo Casals, too.

What a great article. Fellow’s sponsorship certainly is a milestone but each child sponsored is precious.

I really like what the article said at the end about how “Fellow wasn’t one of a million children. He was just one. One child. One sponsor. One more step toward changing the world.”

Each of my sponsor children are also one of those million… well – over a million now as one was sponsored just a few days ago. Each of these children is precious and so special to me and I know that God placed each one in my life for a special reason.

I love Casals quote! I think I might use it in the next batch of letters that I send out to my children.

This was a very moving article and it reinforced for me the fact that what you do for one child makes a very big difference in the world. Sometimes when I see the poverty, starvation, abuse, etc. I feel overwhelmed. But then I tell myself that I don’t have to try to fix it all, I just have to do what I can. I help 3 sponsored children and 2 correspondence children.
A lot of people are able to sponsor more children but I don’t let that make me feel bad. 3 sponsored children is a lot for me and it is enough.

@Jeanette – Jeanette, you are being very generous, in sponsoring three children, and I so appreciate your doing whatever it takes. It sounds as though it might actually require some sacrifice, on your part, and that reminds me how dear to Jesus’ heart was the poor widow who put in all she had. He knows your heart! Bless you!

What a great article. Fellow’s sponsorship certainly is a milestone but each child sponsored is precious.

I really like what the article said at the end about how “Fellow wasn’t one of a million children. He was just one. One child. One sponsor. One more step toward changing the world.”

Each of my sponsor children are also one of those million… well – over a million now as one was sponsored just a few days ago. Each of these children is precious and so special to me and I know that God placed each one in my life for a special reason.

I love Casals quote! I think I might use it in the next batch of letters that I send out to my children.